U.S.-Africa Dialogue on Connecting Africa
Hosted jointly by
The Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee,
The President's Digital Freedom Initiative, and
The U.S. Trade and Development Agency
Thursday, March 15, 2007, 12:30 pm - 2:00 pm, U.S. Capitol Building
International Dialogue | Overview | Biographies | Photos [coming soon]
The Internet Caucus Advisory Committee hosted an intimate policymaker discussion on critical telecommunications and Internet development issues. Over the past 10 years, the U.S. public and private sectors have been instrumental in helping to expand Internet and voice connectivity in Africa. Through capacity building, training, policy support, and direct programs, the United States and African nations have laid the foundations for a dramatic expansion of information and communications technologies. .
The discussion concentrated on some of the challenges and opportunities facing global communications policymakers, including: expanding broadband and rural connectivity, developing relevant applications of technology (e-government, e-health, and e-education), balancing the free flow of information, protecting citizens, and encouraging the adoption of new technologies in an increasingly connected world.
Discussion participants included:
- Rep. Donald Payne, Chairman, House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health
- Rep. Bobby Rush, Chairman, House Commerce Subcommittee on Commerce, Trade and Consumer Protection
- Rep. Bob Goodlatte, Co-Chair, Congressional Internet Caucus
- Rep. Ed Royce, former Chair of the Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Africa
- Honorable John Kneuer, Assistant Secretary for Communications and Information, U.S. Department of Commerce
- Commissioner Deborah Taylor Tate, Federal Communications Commission
- Ambassador David A. Gross, U.S. Coordinator for International Communications and Information Policy, U.S. Department of State
- Deputy Assistant Secretary Carol Thompson, U.S. Department of State
- Deputy Director Leocadia I. Zak, U.S. Trade and Development Agency
- Ms. Meredith Broadbent, Assistant U.S. Trade Representative - Industry & Telecommunications, U.S. Office of the United States Trade Representative
- H.E. Mr. Albert Butare, Minister for Energy and Communication, Rwanda
- H.E. Mr. Gaoussou Drabo, Minister of Communications and New Information Technologies, Mali
- H.E. Mr. Bello-Bouba Maigari, Minister of Posts and Telecommunications, Cameroon
- H.E. Mr. Ham-Mukasa Mulira, Minister of Information and Communications Technology, Uganda
- H.E. Mr. Pierre-Michel Nguimbi, Minister of Technical and Professional Education, Republic of the Congo
- H.E. Mr. Joachim Tankoano, Minister of Post, Information Technology and Telecommunications, Burkina Faso
- Dr. Bitange Ndemo, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information and Communications, Kenya
- Engr. Ernest Ndukwe, Executive Vice Chairman/Chief Executive, Nigerian Communications Commission
The United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) funds technical assistance, investment analysis, training, orientation visits, and workshops that support modern infrastructure development and fair and open trading environments in developing and middle-income countries.
This was a widely attended event hosted by the Congressional Internet Caucus Advisory Committee, part of a 501 (c)(3) charitable organization.